This invention relates to a hinge construction, in particular for a wing mirror unit of a motor vehicle, comprising a first hinge part for mounting on a motor vehicle and a second hinge part, pivotably connected therewith, for supporting a mirror support of the wing mirror unit.
Such a hinge construction is generally known and typically comprises a first hinge part which is designed as a base plate for mounting on a door of an automobile. The base plate then mostly supports a fixed base shaft of substantially upright orientation. The second hinge part typically comprises a mirror support, arranged so as to be pivotable about the base shaft. The mirror support supports the components of the wing mirror, such as a mirror adjustment mechanism with mirror glass and a mirror cap.
By means of the hinge construction, the wing mirror is operatively adjustable between a folded-in position, in which the wing mirror substantially abuts alongside the body of the motor vehicle, and a folded-out position, in which the wing mirror is oriented substantially transversely to the body of the motor vehicle.
Through this adjustability, the wing mirror can be folded in from the folded-out operating position to a folded-in position in which the mirror housing projects less far with respect to the body. In this way, for one thing, the risk of damage to the wing mirror when parking the vehicle can be reduced and the wing mirror can yield to some extent upon collision with an object.
Typically, the hinge construction comprises an electric drive mechanism with which the wing mirror is adjustable between the folded-in position and the folded-out position.
In connection with safety and aerodynamics, the wing mirror in the folded-out position is preferably placed as closely to the body as possible. To enable proper folding-in, however, it is desirable for the hinge parts to be placed at a greater lateral distance from the body, so that also a wing mirror that is of relatively thick design, upon being folded in, can still have its mirror glass ending up properly disposed alongside the body.
To resolve the contradiction between these requirements, heretofore, complex constructions have been proposed to make the base shaft adjustable transversely to the body, so that the base shaft can be adjusted between a position situated more closely to the body in the folded-out position and a position situated further away from the body in lateral direction in the folded-in position of the wing mirror.